Peace

I feel like I am re-surfacing for the first time in a long time. 

Here's why: 
-Christmas time for a graduate student means long presentations, big papers, and finals. 
-Christmas time for a children's director means putting together Christmas programs and planning Christmas parties. 
-Christmas time for a newlywed means double the shopping and wrapping and baking. 

        Now don't get me wrong, Christmas is my absolute favorite time of the year. I love the beauty, the joy, and the warm fuzzies that come with Christmas time. I love that people think of other people, even if its just to buy them a gift. I love that we light our houses and our streets to keep the dark from overpowering this winter season. 
     But its so easy to forget what this season means in the midst of a million to-do's. That's why I listen to Christmas music on my way to work, or school, or running Christmas errands. They remind me how joyful this season is, the meaning of Christ's birth for the world, and fill me with the coming excitement of Christmas day. One of my favorites these past couple weeks has been "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day." The last two stanzas make me want to cry every time, literally every time. 

"And in despair I bowed my head; There is no peace on earth I said;
For hate is strong, And mocks the song 
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Then peal the bells more loud and deep:

God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;

The Wrong shall fail,

The Right prevail,

With peace on earth, good-will to men.

Till ringing, singing on its way,

The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

       So often I feel like I live in between these two stanzas. I am discouraged with the state the world is in, I want to cry about all the pain I see, I get overwhelmed with all the things there are to do in a day, I want more for the people I know, and I wonder why there is no relief. But then God reveals Himself in the midst of the chaos and the pain and brings peace. It's a beautiful thing - a Christmas thing. So I'm going to practice peace during my Christmas break. I'm going to rest and not worry about it. I'm going to spend time in quiet. I'm going to take deep breaths and sit a lot more than I have in awhile. Peace. 

My favorite version of this song is Adam's (of course, right?). But really, when I listen to it I feel despair and then victory and peace. I get so caught up in the beauty and truth of it all. Check it out: